Wolfgang Decker
Managing Director
Experience
Chief Technology Officer
LegalTech Start-up
- Defined technical roadmap for an early-stage AI-driven LegalTech solution under DACH regulations.
- Implemented RAG architecture with cloud + on-prem deployment, agile DevOps and LLM-based modules.
- Delivered MVP, secured pilot clients, and built partner ecosystem – enabling first revenues and investor readiness.
Program Manager Manufacturing Transformation
Industrial Components Group
- Took over an eight-year stalled MES replacement across multiple plants with fragmented initiatives and architectural drift
- Consolidated target architecture, aligned ERP and quality systems, and re-established structured governance and delivery cadence
- Stabilized a CHF 550M business unit, reversed heavy losses (~CHF 200M) and improved OEE by >15%, introducing execution control and an evidence-based impact loop
Program Manager Digitalization Paint Shop
Premium Automotive Manufacturer
- Took over a failed MES implementation reducing throughput to 8–9 cars/day vs. 23 contracted, threatening model ramp-up.
- Stabilized platform, re-engineered rollout with agile deployments (summer shutdown + subsequent weekend sprints).
- Increased output to 26–28 cars/day (over contractual target), securing continuity of a premium product line worth >€1B revenue.
Program Lead Manufacturing Transformation
Pharma & Chemicals Group
- Assumed leadership of a failing MES rollout in a highly regulated multi-site manufacturing environment
- Rebuilt program governance, validated system design and secured compliant go-live under extreme time pressure
- Restored operational stability and safeguarded uninterrupted production during global supply ramp-up under GxP constraints
Program Manager Manufacturing Transformation
Automotive Tier-1 Supplier
- Took over modernization of an unstable legacy MES that had failed to migrate and was blocking ERP integration and traceability
- Reframed scope, set decision rights and guided the transition architecture, aligning vendors and plants to a single rollout cadence
- Enabled compliant multi-site deployment, stabilized shopfloor execution and reduced OT operating cost by >20%
Executive Advisor
Digital Transformation & Operational Excellence
- Lead enterprise ERP, MES and digital transformation programs across Europe, the US and Asia (program value >€180M)
- Recovered delivery-critical programs in PE-backed and industrial environments under cost and time pressure
- Defined and governed ERP/MES target operating model and integration blueprint for scalable multi-plant execution
- Established execution control, vendor governance and board-level steering in complex multi-party setups
Managing Director, IT Strategy & Delivery – Industry X
Accenture
- Accountable for large-scale ERP and platform transformations across industrial and regulated sectors
- Advised C-level executives on IT strategy, operating models and recovery of complex delivery programs
- Directed S/4HANA and hybrid cloud deployments including IT/OT convergence and cybersecurity integration
- Managed multi-country delivery organizations with full financial and performance accountability
Group Vice President & Chief Project Officer
Giesecke+Devrient
- Led a €1.5B global project portfolio within a 350+ professional matrix organization
- Established group-wide portfolio governance, risk control and executive reporting structures
- Drove delivery stabilization and execution discipline across international business lines
- Launched and scaled secure cloud-based platform businesses in telecom-grade environments
Managing Consultant, IT Strategy
PA Consulting Group
- Led post-merger IT integrations aligning SAP and legacy landscapes across EMEA, US and APAC
- Designed shared service and operating models for carve-out and transition programs
Accenture & Industry Roles
- Managed multi-site IT operations; led data center and secure network rollouts.
- Led the PMO for an industrial launch program, ensuring system readiness and stable go-live.
- Shaped enterprise architectures across banking, insurance and industry.
Industries Experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.
Experienced in Information Technology (11.5 years), Professional Services (11 years), Manufacturing (11 years), Telecommunication (7 years), Chemical (2.5 years), and Pharmaceutical (2.5 years).
Business Areas Experience
The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.
Experienced in Project Management (17 years), Information Technology (15 years), Strategy (15 years), Operations (11 years), Quality Assurance (2.5 years), and Production (1.5 years).
Summary
CFO-Grade Operational Performance Turnaround
„ Turning shopfloor action into verifiable EBIT and cash impact “
Context In industrial special situations, operational activity is visible, but financial steering reliability is not. Boards see KPIs. CFOs see volatility. Investors see narrative risk. The gap is rarely effort. It is the missing cause-effect chain between shopfloor intervention and verifiable EBIT and cash impact.
Typical mandate situations
- Underperforming plants with margin erosion
- High scrap, rework, unstable delivery performance
- Excess inventory and working capital pressure
- PE value bridge, refinancing, covenant stress
- Digital, ERP, MES programs that do not land in results
Core contribution I establish a closed impact loop that links operational signals to validated EBIT and cash effects: operational signal, explicit decision ownership, targeted intervention, measured operational effect, verified financial contribution. This converts visibility into control. Not reporting. Execution-grade financial steering.
30 / 60 / 90 orientation
- 0–30: Loss-driver baseline accepted by operations and finance (no narrative, only facts)
- 31–60: Top value levers prioritised, owners named, cadence installed, evidence trail defined
- 61–90: First verified financial effects visible in reporting and usable in board communication
Working Mode Cadence-driven. Small lever set. Clear ownership. Evidence after action.
Fit check Impact requires a clear mandate and direct access at CFO / COO level. I am strongest with operational authority plus financial transparency aligned
Skills
Build Digitalization Roadmaps For Regulated Manufacturing Across Global Site Networks
Translate Operational Pain Into Prioritized Automation, Analytics And Integration Initiatives
Orchestrate Delivery Across Internal Teams, Integrators, Technology Partners To Secure Adoption
Establish Portfolio Governance For Digital And Oe Initiatives With Roi Discipline And Kpi Steering
Digital Transformation For Manufacturing And Supply Chain (Mes, Integration, Data)
Operational Excellence And Continuous Improvement With Shopfloor Standards
Value Realization And Kpi Steering From Operational Signals To Verified Impact
Portfolio, Program And Vendor Governance In Complex Multi-party Delivery Setups
Languages
Education
UAS Kaiserslautern
Diploma, Electrical Engineering & Computer Science · Electrical Engineering & Computer Science · Kaiserslautern, Germany
University Saarbrücken
Postgraduate, Business Administration · Business Administration · Saarbrücken, Germany
Certifications & licenses
Supervisory Board Certification
ESMT Berlin
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